purr

Archaic, pur

[pur]

verb (used without object)

1. to utter a low, continuous, murmuring sound expressive of contentment or pleasure, as a cat does.

2. (of things) to make a sound suggestive of the purring of a cat.

   The new motor of the car purred.

verb (used with object)

1. to express by or as if by purring.

noun

1. the low, vibrating sound made by a cat by the contracting of the laryngeal muscles and the diaphragm as it breathes.

2. a sound resembling this.

3. the act of purring.

purr

/ pɜː /

verb

1. (intr) (esp of cats) to make a low vibrant sound, usually considered as expressing pleasure, etc

2. (tr) to express (pleasure, etc) by this sound

noun

1. a purring sound

Other Word Forms

• purringly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of purr¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; imitative

Word History and Origins

Origin of purr¹

C17: of imitative origin; compare French ronronner to purr, German schnurren, Dutch snorren

Example Sentences

That voice is all purr and growl, like a lion clawing its way through velvet.

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Can Labour keep the party's Rolls Royce campaigning operation purring to maintain its grip on power?

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Undoubtedly, one sweet tabby will purr its way into your heart and become a “foster fail.”

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“Yeah,” he purrs, “I get that a lot.”

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There will be a sense of sadness on Teesside that Carrick was unable to follow up on the promise of his first season when some of the football left fans purring.

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